Amusement device



Feb. 4, 1930. w, si- I 1,745,719

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed April 24, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. w. SELLNER 1,745,719

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Feb. 4, 1930.

Filed April 24, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gfpleasure seekers.

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" ;-to"the platform being determined by the '7 and in which Patented Feb. 4,1930" i UNI D AT S PATENT OFFICE HERBERT w. SELLNER, on FARIBAUL'I, MINNESOTA AMUSEMENT DEVICE Application filed April 24,

' This invention relates to amusementapparatus and especially to amusement'appara'tus designed for p arksgandfresorts Where it is desired to accommodate'a large number of V f It is the main object of my invention to I provideainew and improved amusement apparatus'which will furnish pleasurable and unexpected sensations, may be operated 'economically-an'd will; have a high degree of safety. I

f Afurther object is to provide amusement apparatusfwherein the riders-will be moved ingeneral through an orbit and will unexpectedly swing, snap from side to side or rotate without in any way being able to figure what movement may next take place inthe Car.

"It'is a more specific object to provide in such adevice, a generally circular track provided with a. plurality of undulations over which tiltable platforms are passed, each of the platforms carrying a passenger car;

mounted. for violent oscillationiand rotation thereonythe oscillation of the car relative tilted position of the" platform." I These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following descriping drawings, wherein like characters'refer v to similar'parts throughout the several vlews,

Figfll is a plan view of a p v "preferred embodiment of the invention.

alarger scale. f V V, Fig; 3 is a verticalsection taken on the line13 '3 of Fig. 1, showingone of the units in sideel'evation, and 1 I Fig4s is a'fragmentary end elevation of Fig." '1. l

one ofthe 'units taken'on theline of V pl V '1 I desired. 'T In the preferred embodiment of myde tion made in connection with the accompanyplan viewofone of the units on I in the outer portion thereof and pivoted ec- 1926. Serial No. 104,316.

5 undulated symmetrically with said track.

Walk 7 is supported on a frame work 8 and hasthe entrance 9 at one side thereof andthe exit 10 preferably at the opposite side. A railing 11 is mounted on the outer side of the walk. I

In the center of track 5 I provide a heavy standard or foundation 12 on which a heavy hub 13is revolubly mounted. Hub 13 has an annular vertically extending flange 13 provided with a plurality of horizontal bearings 13 therein. A plurality of heavy carrier arms 14 are connected by universal or knuckle joints to the hub 13. The c0nnections may be made as illustrated by rigidly securing tothe inner'end of each of arms '14 a strap 15 having the spaced ears- 15 hinged to the outer end of a relatively heavy pin 16. Pins 16 are journaled in the bearings'18 and are retained on hub 13 by means of set screw collars 17 secured to the inner ends thereof. A flat platform 18 is rigidly secured to the outer end of each of carrier arms 14 having its outer edge extending in the arc of a circle with hub 13 as the center. v

Each of the platforms 18 is supported on the track 5 preferably by means of a pair of wheels 19. The axes of wheels 19 extend radially with respect to hub 13.

On each of the platforms 18 an annular track 20 is mounted having its center extend- I ing approximately over the main track 5. A car. 21' is mounted for oscillation on each of the platforms 18 having a passenger seat 22 centrically by a heavy bolt 23 to platform $18 at the center of track 20. The outer end of'car 21 is supported on a pair of wheels 24 engaging the track 20 and having their axes disposed radially of pivot bolt23 as Itwill be seenthat the cars 21 are mounted for oscillation depending upon the pitch of the platform 18 .and that the passengers seated "adjacent the outer ends of the cars will be swung swiftly from side to side as the cars oscillate. The outer edges of platforms 18 are adapted to substantially register with the inner edges of the walk 7 permitting the participants to easily mount the platforms and seat themselves in the cars.

Links or cables 24 are employed to interconnect the intermediate portions of the various carrier arms 14, bracing said arms and keeping the same at the proper radially spaced position. The device may be revolved in any suitable manner but is preferably driven by means of an endless flexible member or cable 25 surrounding the several platforms 18 and engaging detents or hooks 26 mounted on the under side of each platform thereof. Cable 25 is crossed andpassed over a driving pulley 27 drivenby bevel gear connection from a motor or suitable source of power 28. Cable 25 is also passed about a belt tightener 29 mounted adjacent motor 28 on a slidable bearing (not shown) yield? ingly held outwardly of said motor.

Operation to side. This is accomplished by the knuckle joint connections between the inner ends of the carrier arms 14 and the hub 13, as described. Since the outer ends of carrier arms 14 with the several platforms thereon are supported by means of a pair of wheels 9 engaging track '5 and having their axes disposed radially of hub 13, the several plate forms 18 will be tilted from'side to side and also from end to end as they pass over the undulations of the track. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, when the passenger is assing over a crest or swell of the track, plat orm 18 will be tilted sidewise and inwardly as the pivotal connection between'the carrier arm 14 and the boss 13 i below the level of the crest. Moreover, as shown in Fig. 4, as the passenger is moved toward the crest the platform 18 will be tilted endwise and upwardly. The tilting of the platforms 18in either sidewise or endwise directioncause the cars 21 to be termined by therider. Since the platforms are tiltable on two difierent axes the carsmay .thusbe faced rearwardly at one. moment and oppositely at the next moment and they may be swung to one side of their respective plat-' form or the other side, and during the ride 7 around the undulated track they will have completed several movements about theirenf tire annular tracks 20. Oftentimes the effect position to be partially rotated by the next 1 Vention.

sometimes completing twoor more rotations. Complete rotation occurs when one of the platforms ascends a crest with its passenger car substantially balanced in position to swing inwardly and forwardly. The passage over the crest and down the descent will sometimes swing the car through 360 and in crest and descent. To a person observing th entire device the irregularity of the oscilla tions and rotations of the various cars will be observed at one instant. Several of the cars will be violently whipped or swung through 180 to 240, whilea few of the cars will'be rotated or spunf V The positions of the several cars relative to their platforms is of course afl'ected'by centrifugal force but inconstructing the device the hub 13 is disposed slightly below-the mean level between the crests and valleys ofthe main track. At its mean height on the track therefore, each of the platforms 18 will be tilted slightly inwardly and sidewise, thus overcoming the effect of thecentrifugal force.

The suddenness and'speed of theirregular termittent and unexpected thrills to the pas senger thereof- The revoluble frame needs only to be driven ata fair speed to attain the results described, thereby insuringthe safety of the passenger and requiringonly a small 7 7 amount of power. U V 4 g It will, of course, beunderstood that va rious changesmay bemade in the form, detail, proportions and arrangementof parts without departing fromthelscope of the in- What is claimed is 1. In amusement apparatus an circular track, a standard mounted interiorly and centrally of said track, a revoluble v member mounted on said standard and carry a ing an annular flange, a plurality of radially disposed pins j ournaled for oscillation in said annular flange, aplurality of radially; disposed carrier arms extending between said standard and said trackand hinged at their V inner ends to said pins, wheels supporting the .outer ends of saidcarrier arms from said track, supports adjacent. the outer ends of each of said carrierarms and a passenger car eccentri'cally mounted on each of said supports and adapted to be sharply oscillated ac cording to the tilted position of said supports. i r

'2. An amusement apparatuscomprising a o plurality of arms extending substantially ra-v dially outwardly from a center, each ofsaid 7 arms being journaled for swinging movement 1-10 undulated '1 25 -in opposite directions to individually oscillate or spin the car carried thereby about its in a substantially vertical plane and for limited rotatory movement about an axis extending substantially radially of said center, a platform carried by each arm, a passenger car eccentrically mounted for free rotation on each platform about a substantially vertical axis, and means to successively cause each platform-totilt from end to end and alter nately from side to side inopposite directions,

whereby each car carried thereby is individually caused to oscillate or spin about its axis.

3. An amusement apparatus comprising a pluralityaof arm's extending substantially radially outwardly from a central pivot each of said arms being journaled for swinging movement in a substantially vertical plane and for limited rotary movement about an axis exradially of said track,

tending substantially radially of said pivot, a platform carried by each arm, a passenger car eccentrically mounted for free rotation on each platfrom about a substantially vertical axis, an undulated track and means secured to each platform at spaced points for engagement with said track whereby each platform is caused to alternately tilt from sideto side axis.

4. An amusement apparatus comprising a central pivot, an arm extending radially of said pivot, said arm being substantially vertical plane and to rotate about an axis extending lengthwise thereof, a platform secured to said arm, a passenger car eccentrically pivoted to said platform and free to swing about its pivot, an undulated track arranged beneath saidplatform and bearings secured to said platform to sup-. port it on said track, said bearings being widely spaced apart, and means to cause said arm to move around said track.

5. In amusement apparatus an endlessundulated track, an arm or sweep disposed means for causing said arm to travel around said track, a pair of wheels disposed in tandem supporting the outer end of said sweep from said track, a platform fixed adjacent the outer end of said sweep, said sweep being mounted for oscillation on its longitudinal mounted for oscillationon an axis disposed at right angles to said longitudinal axis,

1 p and a passenger car freely whereby said platform will be tilted from side to side and from end to end as said arm travels'over the undulations of said track, supported on said platform for independent movement thereon in a circular path, the gyratorv movement of said platform causing said car to sometimes spin and sometimes oscillate.

6. In amusement apparatus, a circular undulated track, a revoluble member mounted concentrically of said track, a plurality of arms or sweeps connected withsaid revoluble of said track,

member and disposed radially free to swing in a b axis and being also supporting means follows being mounted for, oscillation on their longitudinalaxes and being also mounted for oscillat-ion onoaxes disposed at right angles to said longitudinal axes whereby said platforms will be tilted from side to side and also from en dto ,end as said arm travels over the undulations of said track, and a passenger car freely supported on each of said platforms or independent movement thereon in a circular path, the gyratory movement of said platform causing said cars to sometimes spin and sometimes oscillate. v

An amusement apparatus comprising a central pivot, a sweep or arm extending radially of said pivot, a connection between the inner end of said arm and said pivot comprising a pin journaled on a substantially horizontal axis in said pivot, and a hinge connection between the outer end of said pin and said arm to permit swinging of said arm in a substantially vertical plane and rotation of said arm about an axis extending lengthwise thereof, a platform secured to said arm, a passenger car pivoted to said platform and free to swing about its pivot, an undulated track arranged beneath said platform and earings secured to said platform to support it on said track, said bearings being spaced apart and means to cause said arm to move around said track.

8. In an amusement device, a centrally located hub, a plurality of rotatable and radially extending sweeps having their inner ends pivotally connected to said hub, an undulatory circular track, means on the outer ends of the sweeps engaging the track, a plurality of platforms supported by the sweeps, passenger cars pivotally mounted on the platforms for free rotation about their pivotal points, said pivotal points being located substantially centrally of the platforms and eccentrically of the cars.

9. In an amusement device, a central rotatable member, platforms revolving about the axis of said central member at some distance therefrom, a track surrounding said central member and having undulations, means engaging said trackat circumferentially spaced points thereon forming supports respectively for each of said platforms, means connecting each ofsaid platforms with said central member for causing an inward and outward tilting movement of said platforms and for also permitting a tilting movement of said platforms about axes substantially radial to saidcentral member as said platform the undulations of saidtrack, and passenger cars mounted on said platforms for unrestricted eccentric rotative movement thereon.

10. In an amusement device, a central rotatable member, platforms revolving about the axis'of said central member at some distance therefrom, a track surrounding said central member and having undulations, means engaging said track at circumferentially spaced points thereon forming supports respectively for each of said platforms,

radially extending elongated means between said central rotatable member and said plat.- forms for causing an inward and outward tilting movement of said platforms and for also permitting a tilting movement of said platforms about axes substantially radial to said central member as said platform supporting means follow the undulations of said track, and passenger cars mounted on said platforms for unrestricted eccentric rotative movement thereon.

In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature.

HERBERT W. SELLNER. 

